Brianna Devereaux: The Mambo (Completed)

Brianna's Brother

 Brianna had never liked walking the streets of New York at night alone. While her dad had told her, Law and Order: SVU her favorite show had been dramatized, Brianna had been wary. Growing up in the nice suburb out of the business of New York had been a privilege. But right now, in the heart of New York, Brianna could practically feel the crime surrounding her. But she had to find her brother.

She had to find Jeremy.

Handsome, tall, and full of life Jeremy Jones had been a model student and athletic. He and Brianna had grown up loved and cared for, and they’d been the best of friends. Going on runs together and hikes, spending holidays spoiled and happy. They’d traveled the globe and spent summers in Rio, Paris, and Iceland. Christmas in Russia, Thailand, and Japan.

So how did they get here?

A shaking Brianna had been walking the streets of Queens trying to be invisible. But when she kept getting looks in her little tank top, she knew it was impossible. So while she felt disgusted by it, she’d stolen a sweatshirt from a guy.

 He’d been too busy talking to his friend to notice.

And while Brianna only wanted the jacket, she’d felt even more horrible when she saw a phone and almost two hundred dollars in his pocket.

But she couldn’t go back and give it to him. So, after factory resetting the phone and after the password was off, she made a call. It rang, and rang, and rang, and then, “Sorry I missed your call but if you leave your name and number, I’ll hit you back. If not, then I don’t like you. Bye!”

Hearing her mama’s voice made Brianna want to cry. But she didn’t let herself break then, she instead kept walking until she heard his voice. The deep voice was beautiful and husky, so much like her father’s. And when her gaze landed on the figure, she saw him.

 Jeremy stood on a corner and from a distance he looked like he usually did.

Handsome, tall, and dipped in the golden aura their pops had dusted on him since birth. The only son and the eldest child, Jeremy had been doted and loved in a way Brianna could never hope to obtain.

Put on a pedestal, for years Brianna had been jealous of her older brother. Of the time her father spent grooming him, her mother spent doting on him, and relatives spent comparing them.

But now here they stood.

Brianna in too tight jeans and a stolen hoodie and then her older brother Jeremy. Strung out on h****n looking lost as he slowly placed her face and his eyes widened in horror.

Pulling her away from the two girls and a guy looking at her confused, Jeremy hissed, “The f**k is you doing here!? Mama and pops are going to kill me if they find out you came looking for-.” Slapping him hard, Brianna’s chest heaved as Jeremy’s gaze snapped back to hers alert now.

“Mama and pops are dead Jeremy. They have been for two months.” Jerking back, Jeremy sobered up hard as he looked at his broken sister. “W-what?” Jeremy watched Brianna explain what happened, but it went in one ear and out the other.

All he could care about was, “What happened to everything? The money, the house, the cars?” Feeling her blood turn cold, Brianna whispered, “What?” Jeremy groaned as he ran ahead over his head frustrated, “All that money didn’t just vanish, and the bastard couldn’t take it with him!”

Jumping at his brother’s growl, Brianna watched him stress, “He can’t keep me from inheritance dead. And I can take care of everything then!” Brianna saw then what her dad had yelled at her one night.

After sneaking out past curfew, Brianna had found her brother and begged him to get help. To come home and just talk to pops and convince the stubborn man he wanted help. But Jeremy had refused, and it had been Terrance to find her on a corner sobbing.

And he it hadn’t softened his blow.

Standing over his daughter, Terrance had been unintentionally cruel as he barked, “Your brother is an addict. Nothing you and I will say will convince that junkie to get clean. He’ll have to make the first steps and until he does, I won’t hold my breathe.”

Crying as she stood trembling in the cool night air, Brianna pleaded for her pops to understand. But he held up his hand as he boomed over her whines, “I don’t want to hear it Brianna Nicole Jones! You defied me and you’re grounded. Jesus walking out at night alone to meet him!? Do you know what could have happened to you!?”

And after dragging her home, Terrance had made it clear she was to stay away from her brother. Not until he took those first steps on his own two feet.

And now she knew why.

Jeremy’s hair was now a fro like hers. Uncut and unlined up, his unpicked hair would give their mama a heart attack if it still beat. His clothes scruffy and unwashed, stuck to him weird as he paced and foamed at the mouth.

Backing away, Brianna walked away as Jeremy tried to get her to stop.

And when she didn’t, Brianna cried out as he shook her painfully, “Did he leave it all to you? Where is it, golden child?” Jeremy, the big brother who’d tickled her senseless and watched Saturday morning cartoons with her, wasn’t here right now.

It was a junkie in need of cash and a fix, and he was desperate for both. Brianna shook her brother off and ran away from him.

But even hoped up on whatever he was on, plus no food and proper nutrients, he was still faster. And then his friends appeared, the two girls were confused as they looked the young girl over. But the guy whooped as he eagerly looked her over, “Hey little sister.” He greeted with a wink looking her over.

The white boy with his stringy brown dreads had blood shot eyes. Brianna had seen him once or twice on her hunt for Jeremy. And now here they were getting high together.

Brianna tried to fight her brother off, but he pushed her into a phone booth and went through her pockets. And soon he had the money and phone she’d just acquired in hand.

Sobbing as the girl and the dread head left, Jeremy started to follow them. Holding the cash and money in hand, he looked at his little sister crying alone. And he started to go back.

Only for Jessica, one of the c***k w****s, to come and grab his hand and pull him along. And that’s where Jeremy left his little sister.

Alone, broke, and with nowhere to go.